Feeding Needy Only Part Of Daily Bread's Aim

KISSIMMEE — The homeless and the hungry flock to the white and blue house at 109 Mitchell St. six days a week.

Inside waits Beverley Spangler, who, with an army of volunteers, gives them food and tries to help them improve their lives.

Spangler, 50, is Osceola Daily Bread's program director, a position she said she is privileged to have.

''I don't view it as a job,'' she said. ''I view it as a big responsibility.''

Daily Bread is staffed by volunteers from 23 churches and serves meals from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Between 60 and 80 people are fed each day.

Spangler is the only paid staff member at Daily Bread, which is part of Orlando's Christian Service Center, a social service agency.

There is more to Spangler's job than overseeing a meal preparation each day.

''It's a very complicated process,'' she said. ''You've got to stay on top of things.''

Her many responsibilities include planning menus, making out serving schedules for the volunteers, fielding phone calls, keeping records, answering questions and setting up medical and other appointments for Daily Bread's clients.

''They don't come here just for the meal,'' Spangler said. ''They come here for the fellowship and the compassion these volunteers show.''

About 1,500 people volunteered at Daily Bread last year. That number included church volunteers and people from school programs, civic groups, businesses and social agencies.

Daily Bread has served 47,524 meals since February 1990, when it opened, through last month. From January through October of this year, 15,403 meals have been served.

The organization can accept food from hotels, restaurants, churches and other places with kitchens that can be inspected by public health workers, but it can't accept food made in someone's home.

Spangler's work day begins at about 8:30 a.m., when she arrives to oversee food preparation. The hours for clients are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but Spangler sometimes stays at late as 6 p.m., depending on what must be done.

Clients need help with everything from filling out Social Security forms to contacting relatives. Often they simply want someone to listen to their family and personal problems.

Most of Daily Bread's clients are homeless, while others have a place to live but no food or utilities, Spangler said. A majority are in their 30s and 40s, although some are elderly. There are more men than women clients.

''We want to make them self-sufficient at the same time they're getting their dignity back,'' she said.

''But we're not here to give them a handout,'' Spangler said. ''We're here to give them a help up.''

Anthony, 23, and his father, John, 46, are Daily Bread clients. John is terminally ill with cancer of the jaw.

Anthony works part time for Workers of Florida, a labor pool. Although he said he is not homeless, it is difficult for him to find work.

He came to Daily Bread recently for a meal. ''For people who can't afford it, they have at least one meal a day,'' Anthony said.

Each day when the food is ready, Spangler calls in those who have lined up outside the house. They sign in and take their seats at the dining room tables.

If there aren't enough seats, she asks those left in line to wait outside until there is an empty chair. Before they eat, she leads the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer.

After the lunch rush is over, Spangler oversees the kitchen and dining room cleanup and checks refrigerator gauges and expiration dates on food to be used for future meals.

Clients help with tasks such as taking out the garbage, doing lawn work and cleaning the bathroom.

''We don't expect them to work for their food, but it is appreciated,'' she said.

''We try to rotate the work so they all feel like they're doing something,'' Spangler said.

A few months ago, Daily Bread started providing minor medical care on Thursdays to its clients. Spangler refers those who can't wait until Thursday and those with major health problems to other medical facilities.

Tommy, 47, comes to Daily Bread to eat and take showers. He was also treated there recently for chigger bites.

Tommy said he was kicked out of his house at age 9 and has been on his own since. He lives in a tent and doesn't have a car, which makes finding work as a laborer difficult.

He said he has relatives but doesn't want to stay with them. ''I don't have to be on the streets if I don't want to be,'' Tommy said.

There is no limit to how often someone can come to Daily Bread. The same people do not always come every day, Spangler said. Some come when they can't make their food stamps last long enough, while others come when they can't find work.

''They're in situations they can't get out of easily,'' Spangler said. ''It might take them several times to come here before they get back on their feet.''

However, Spangler has had to use ''tough love'' measures with some clients. ''There are times when you have to put your foot down and say no,'' she said.